Boyes Turner’s obstetric negligence lawyers secured a £200,000 settlement for a woman who was left with severe, disabling faecal (bowel) incontinence after a negligently managed delivery and inadequate repair of a third degree vaginal/perineal tear.Our client’s experience of childbirth was extremely distressing for her. The hospital’s maternity staff’s handling of her baby’s delivery was poor, with failures which included not obtaining our client’s consent to use forceps and failing to act on her request for an episiotomy. During the negligently managed delivery our client suffered significant injuries to her posterior vaginal wall and a third-degree tear extending into her anal sphincter.The specialist registrar (doctor) then negligently carried out an inadequate primary repair of the severe tear. As a result of the negligent repair, our client experienced faecal incontinence. A second repair operation was carried out but made little difference to her symptoms.Our client’s severe faecal incontinent affects every aspect of her life, restricting her ability to work or leave the house. She suffered a psychological injury as a result of her injury and disability.We helped our client make a claim against the defendant hospital. They denied that their staff were negligent or that they were responsible for our client’s injury. We issued proceedings and pushed the case towards trial. A month before the trial was due to take place, the defendant entered into settlement negotiations and we were able to secure a £200,000 compensation settlement. Our client’s compensation will enable her to seek private treatment to improve or help her manage her symptoms of incontinence.If you have suffered a serious injury or disability as a result of medical negligence and would like to find out more about making a claim, you can talk to one of our specialist solicitors, free and confidentially, by contacting us here.
